Thursday, December 22, 2016

Law vs Lie (Laws #1-21)

Introduction to the Law

Monday, October 10, 2016

*Laws #336-349 ~ BOOK EIGHT: THE BOOK OF SERVICE (Laws of Restrictions Concerning Sacrifices)


*Omitted (should not have been added to the Laws)
**Changed (a misinterpretation of the Law or based on the wrong scripture)
***No Longer Kept (No longer applicable today)


The following Laws pertain to blemished animals being considered as offerings.  As with the Kohen, blemished animals, whether permanent or temporary, may not be used as an offering or slaughtered for an offering.  These Laws cover the entire process of offering an animal, from bringing it to the altar door, to slaughtering it to the sprinkling of its blood by the Priest at the altar.  You will also note *** by all of them.  This indicates they are no longer kept outside of a Temple.  A few of these have * indicating they need to be omitted from the List of Commandments and ** indicate they need to be changed to fit the scripture reference of another scripture should be referenced.

***Law #336 To offer only unblemished animals
Lev. 22:21 “And whosoever offers a sacrifice of peace offering unto the Most High to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.”

The Command is that an unblemished animal shall be acceptable.

***Law #337 Not to dedicate a blemished animal for the altar
Lev. 22:20 “But whosoever has a blemish, that shall ye not offer for it shall be acceptable for you. 

The Command is not to dedicate a blemished animal for the altar. 

***Law #338 Not to slaughter it
Lev. 22:22 “…Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the Most High, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Most High.

Making an offer by fire requires the slaughter of the animal.  Because a blemished animal is unacceptable to offer, the Command here is not to slaughter a blemished animal for an offering.

***Law #339 Not to sprinkle its blood
Lev. 22:24 “Ye shall not offer unto the Most High that which is bruised or crushed or broken or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land.”

The sprinkling of its blood is one of the final steps in the offering process prior to removing some of its inner parts.

***Law #340 Not to burn its fat
Lev. 22:22 “…Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the Most High, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the Most High.

***/**Law #341 Not to offer a temporarily blemished animal
Deut. 17:1 “Thou shalt not sacrifice unto the Most High your God any bullock, or sheep, wherein is blemish, or any evil favouredness: for that is an abomination…”

Per Maimonide’s List, the Command here is not to offer any temporarily blemished animal.  However, this scripture reference is actually found in Lev. 22:19-20 implies this in its mention of broken bones, which is a temporary blemish.  Therefore, the scriptural reference should be changed

***Law #342 Not to sacrifice blemished animals even if offered by non-Jews
Lev. 22:25 “Neither from a stranger’s hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in hem: they shall not be accepted for you.”

The Command is not to offer blemished animals offered by non-Jews (stranger).

***Law #343 Not to inflict wounds upon dedicated animals
Lev. 22:21 ““And whosoever offers a sacrifice of peace offering unto the Most High to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep, it shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.

According to Maimonide’s List, the Command is not to inflict wounds upon a dedicated animal.  The Command refers to once an unblemished animal is received for offering, to make certain it remains unharmed during the sacrificial process.

***Law #344 To redeem dedicated animals which have become disqualified
Deut. 12:15 “Notwithstanding thou may kill and eat flesh in all thy gates, whatsoever thy soul lusts after, according to the blessing of the Most High which he has given thee: the unclean and the clean may eat thereof, as of the roebuck and as the hart.”

The Command here is to redeem (or consume) dedicated animals which have become disqualified.  The animals that were not good enough for offering were still good enough for consumption.

***Law #345 To offer only animals which are at least eight days old
Lev. 22:27 “When a bullock, or sheep, or a goat, is brought forth, then it shall be seven days under the dam; and from the eighth day and thenceforth it shall be accepted for an offering made by fire unto the Most High.”

The Command is not to offer animals less than eight days old.

***Law #346 Not to offer animals bought with the wages of a harlot or animal exchanged for a dog
Deut. 23:19 “Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother; usury of money, usury of victuals, usury of anything that is lent upon usury…”

The Command is not to offer animals bought with the wages of a harlot or the animal exchanged for a dog.

***Law #347 Not to burn honey or yeast on the altar
Lev. 2:11 “No meat offering, which ye shall bring unto the Most High, shall be made with leaven: for ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey in any offering of the Most High by fire.”


The Command is not to burn honey or yeast on the altar

***Law #348 To salt all sacrifices & *Law #349 Not to omit the salt from sacrifices
Lev. 2:13 “And every oblation of thy meat offering shalt though season with salt; neither shalt thou suffer the salt of the covenant of thy God to be lacking from thy meat offering: with all thine offerings thou shalt offer salt.

The Command is to salt the sacrifices.  According to Maimonide’s List, there is an additional Law (#349) based on the exact same scripture that says, “Not to omit the salt from sacrifices,” which is the same Law as #348.  Therefore, Command #349 needs to be omitted as it is a repeat of the previous Law.


Monday, September 12, 2016

Blemished?

In Laws #332-334, we see examples of the word "blemish," being defined in Lev. 21:17-20 as anyone who is blind, lame, flat nose, has a broken bone or whose growth is stunted.  Even temporary blemishes such as a healing wound scab was condemned from entering into the Tabernacle. 

The idea of an imperfect human or animal not being a sufficient offering, either for service or sacrifice may rub some people the wrong way.  But this Law is not about the validity of the flawed individual.  It's actually about the perfection of the Most High we serve and therefore, the perfect worship He deserves to match His perfection.  I think we all agree that if we could offer Him perfect worship, we would.  But because we are flawed, we cannot.  If we could offer him perfection we would, but we cannot.  

All we have is our flawed selves to offer Him.  Know that in terms of mercy for our flaws, His grace is sufficient.  That being said, in no way should we diminish worship for Him because of our blemish.  But let these Laws, which seem to denounce us because of imperfection, be a reflection not of our flawed condition but of how perfect our worship must be towards Him.  Worship is to be flawless, even when the worshipper is not.

*Laws #321-335 ~ BOOK EIGHT: THE BOOK OF SERVICE (Laws of Entering The Temple)


*Omitted (should not have been added to the Laws)
**Changed (a misinterpretation of the Law or based on the wrong scripture)
***No Longer Kept (No longer applicable today)




***Law #321 A Kohen must not enter the Temple intoxicated
Lev. 10:9 “Do not drink wine nor strong drink, though, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute forever through your generations.”


To better understand why the priest was commanded not to drink before service, verse 10 goes on to say, “…that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean and that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the Most High has spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.”

Because the Levite is no longer in place, this Law can no longer be kept but the concept is still the same.  Do not compromise yourself to the point of not being able to decipher right from wrong and clean from unclean, particularly when you should be in the mind to teach, mentor or lead.  This is a lesson we can all apply in our lives. 

***Law #322 A Kohen must not enter the Temple with Long Hair & ***#323 A Kohen must not enter the Temple with torn clothes
Lev. 10:6 “And Moses said unto Aaron, and unto Eleazar and unto Ithamar, his sons, Uncover not your heads, neither rend your clothes; lest ye die, and lest wrath come upon all the people: but let your brethren, the whole house of Israel, bewail the burning which the Most High has kindled. 

The commands here are for the Kohen not to enter the Temple with a bald head or torn garments.

***Law #324 A Kohen must not enter the Temple indiscriminately
Lev. 16:2 “And the Most High said unto Moses, speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

The Law is for the priest not to enter into the holy place indiscriminately or whenever he wants to.  Verse 3 says he must enter with a sin offering and a burnt offering.  Verse 4 says he must be clean and in holy attire.  We see there was an order of doing things in the place the Most High established or else the price to pay was death.

***Law#325 A Kohen must not leave the Temple during service
Lev. 10:7 “And ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: for the anointing oil of the Most High is upon you…”

The Kohen must not leave during service.

***Law #326 To send the impure from the Temple
Num. 5:2 “Command the children of Israel, that thy put out of the camp every leper, and every one that has an issue, and whosoever is defiled by the dead. 

The command is for the Kohan to send the impure out of the Temple.  Verse 3 says both male and female.  The idea of coming as you are, not so much in the old days.  Quite possibly the reason for so many tainted ministries is because everyone is allowed to come as they are instead of seeing the standard set and following after that standard.

***Law #327 Impure people must not enter the Temple
Num. 5:3 “Both male and female shall ye put out, without the camp shall ye put them; that they defile not their camps, in the midst whereof I dwell.

The command is for impure people to be put out of the Temple by the  Kohan.  We see a repeat of Law #326.  This is a Law that can be omitted.

***Law #328 Impure people must not enter the Temple Mount area
Deut. 23:1 “He that is wounded in the stones or has his privy member cut off, shall not enter into the congregation of the Most High.”


***Law #329 Impure Kohanim must not do service in the temple
Lev. 22:2 “Speak unto Aaron and to his sons, that they separate themselves from the holy things of the children of Israel, and that they profane not my holy name in those things which they hallow unto me: I am the Most High.

The command is that the unclean Kohanim must not do service in the Temple.  Same idea as Law #328.  If they are not allowed in the Temple, they are not allowed to do service in the Temple.  The emphasis in this Law is that they not only stay out of the Temple if unclean but stay separated from the holy things of the Nation.

***Law #330 An impure Kohen, following immersion, must wait until after sundown before returning to service
Lev. 22:7 “And when the sun is down, he shall be clean, and shall afterward eat of the holy things; because it is his food.”

The Law says after immersion, a now clean Kohen must wait until after sundown to return to service.  The scripture specifically say, he shall be clean after sundown and then return to service.

***Law #331 A Kohen must wash his hands and feet before service
Ex. 30:19 “For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:”

Kohen must wash hands and feet before service

***Law #332 A Kohen with a physical blemish must not enter the sanctuary or approach the altar
Lev 21:23 “Only he shall not go in unto the vail, nor come nigh unto the altar, because he has a blemish; that he profane not my sanctuaries: for I the Most High do sanctify them.”

Kohen with a physical blemish must not enter the sanctuary or approach the altar

***Law #333 A Kohen with a physical blemish must not serve
& ***Law #334 A Kohen with a temporary blemish must t not serve

Lev. 21:17-20 “Speak to Aaron, saying, Whosoever he be of thy seed in their generations that has any blemish, he shall not approach: a blind man, or a lame or he that has a flat nose, or anything superfluous, or a man that is broken-footed or broken-handed or crookbacked or a dwarf, or that has a blemish in his eye, or be scurvy or scabbed or has his stones broken.”

We see greater detail of Law #322 and what “blemish” means. They shall not approach, those of the seed of Aaron.  Meaning, they shall not serve.  Maimonide’s List includes another Law #334, even Kohen with a temporary blemish may not serve.  This Law is derived from the types of blemishes we see in the scriptures; scabs, broken bones (temporary) to flat nose or dwarf (permanent)

***Law #335 One who is not a Kohen must not serve
Num. 18:4 “And they shall be joined unto thee, and keep the charge of the tabernacle of the congregation, for all the service of the tabernacle: and a stranger shall not come nigh unto you.”

The command is that one must be Kohen to serve in the Temple.

Blemished?

In Laws #332-334, we see examples of the word "blemish," being defined in Lev. 21:17-20 as anyone who is blind, lame, flat nose, has a broken bone or whose growth is stunted.  Even temporary blemishes such as a healing wound scab was condemned from entering into the Tabernacle.  We will see more examples in Lev. 22.   

The idea of an imperfect human or animal not being a sufficient offering either for service or sacrifice may rub some people the wrong way.  But this Law is not about the validity of the flawed individual.  It's actually about the flawless perfection of the Most High we serve and therefore, the perfect worship he deserves to match His perfection.  I think we all agree that if we could offer Him perfect worship, we would.  But because we are flawed, we cannot.  If we could offer him perfection we would, but we cannot.  
All we have is our flawed selves to offer Him.  Know that in terms of mercy for our flaws, His grace is sufficient.  That being said, in no way should we be discouraged to worship because of our blemish.  But let these Laws which seem to denounce us because of our imperfection, be a reflection not of our flawed condition but of how perfect our worship should be towards Him.  Our worship is to be flawless, even when the worshipper is not.

*Laws #307-320 ~ BOOK EIGHT: THE BOOK OF SERVICE (Laws of The Temple Vessels and Employees)


*Omitted (should not have been added to the Laws)
**Changed (a misinterpretation of the Law or based on the wrong scripture)
***No Longer Kept (No longer applicable today)




The following Laws pertain to the Tabernacle and its components (oil, incense, Ark, etc.) and employees and instructions on how all should be handled in service.  You’ll find that they all have *** in front of them, indicating they can no longer be kept in today’s world, as there is no Tabernacle or Temple in which to keep the Most High’s service.  Note, how important not reproducing the anointing oil and incense is to the Most High.  This means, the anointing oil and incense was meant for one place and for one people.  Not for 100,000 “temples” across the world to mass produce and use in their own individual services. None-the-less, these Laws can be a reference for how the holy priests of Israel were to honor their positions in the tabernacle and Temple.  Many churches have attempted to imitate this order in their buildings but the true Levites, scattered today, can never be replaced. 

*** Law #307 To prepare the anointing oil
Ex. 30:31 “And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, this shall be a holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations.

The command is to prepare the anointing oil.

***Law #308 Not to reproduce the anointing oil & ***309 Not to anoint with anointing oil
Ex. 30:32 “Upon man’s flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you.”

The commands are two; to not reproduce the anointing oil for other purposes and not to anoint a person with anointing oil. 

***Law #310 Not to reproduce the incense formula
Ex. 30:37 “And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the Most High.”

The command is not to reproduce the incense formula for other purposes.

***Law #311 Not to burn anything on the Golden Altar besides incense (Ex. 30:9)
Ex. 30:9 “Ye shall offer no strange incense thereon, nor burnt sacrifice, nor meat offering; neither shall ye pour drink offering thereon (upon the lamps the Aaron light vs. 8)

The command is not to burn anything on the golden alter besides incense.

***Law #312 The Levites must transport the ark on their shoulders
Num. 7:9 “But unto the sons of Kohath he gave none: because the service of the sanctuary belonging unto them was that they should bear upon their shoulders.

The command here is that the Levites only transport the Ark on their shoulders

***Law #313 Not to remove the staves from the ark
Ex. 25:15 “The staves shall be in the rings of the ark: they shall not be taken from it.

The Law is not to remove the staves from the Ark

***Law #314 The Levites must work in the Temple
“Num. 18:23 “But the Levites shall do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation, and they shall bear their iniquity: it shall be a statue forever throughout your generations, that among the children of Israel they have no inheritance.

The Law says the Levites must work in the Temple.  It was their responsibility and had the Tabernacle/Temple existed today, according to scripture this would still be the case for the Levite, “forever.”  However, the Nation is scattered and the present day Levite tribe specifically is not identified among the Israelite descendants.

***Law #315 No Levite must do another’s work of either a Kohen or a Levite
Num. 18:3 “And they shall keep thy charge, and the charge of all the tabernacle: only they shall not come nigh the vessels of the sanctuary and the altar, that neither they, nor ye also, die.

The Law states that no Levite does the work of another Levite/Kohan

***Law #316 To dedicate the Kohen for service
Lev. 21:8 “Thou shalt sanctify him therefore; for he offereth the bread of thy God: he shall be holy unto thee: for I the Lord, which sanctify you, am holy.”

The Law is to dedicate the Kohan for service

**/***#317 The kohanic work shifts must be equal during holidays
Deut. 18:6-8 “If a Levite come from any of thy gates out of all Israel, where he sojourned, and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the Most High shall choose; Then he shall minister in the name of the Most High, as all his brethren the Levites do, which stand there before Him.  They shall have like portions to eat, beside that which comes of the sale of his patrimony.”

According to Maimonide’s List, the Law here says the Kohan’s work shifts must be equal on holidays.  However it doesn’t quite say that in scripture.  It says the coming Levite shall minister as all his brethren and they shall eat equal portions, so we do see equality among them.  There’s no mention of holidays.  This no is no longer observable but if it where it would need to be changed.  The true Law is for the Kohen to eat equal portions.

***Law #318 The Kohanim must wear their priestly garments during service
Ex. 28:2 “Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty.”

Kohanim must wear priestly garments during service.  Verse 3 goes on to say, “…to consecrate him, that he may minister unto Me in the priest’s office.”

***Law #319 Not to tear the priestly garments
Ex. 28:32 “And there shall be a hole in the top of it (priestly robe), in the midst thereof: it shall have a binding of woven work round about the hole of it, as it were the hole of a habergeon, that it be not rent.

This Law is no longer observable today, as no Levitical priest is identified to wear this garment and no temple exists to work in. 

***Law #320 the breastplate must not be loosened from the Ephod
Ex. 27:28 “And they shall bind the breastplate by the rings thereof unto the rings of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it may be above the curious girdle of the ephod, and that the breastplate be not loosed from the ephod.

The breastplate of the priestly garment must not be loosened from the ephod.

Monday, September 5, 2016

A REMINDER...


A REMINDER:

ALL LAWS NOTED WITH * INDICATE THEY’RE NEEDING TO BE OMMITTED FROM THE LIST OF 613 LAWS DUE TO EITHER BEING ADDED ERRONEOUSLY OR A REPEAT OF A PREVIOUS LAW IN THE JEWISH MAIMONIDE’S LIST.

ALL LAWS NOTED WITH ** INDICATE THE SCRIPTURE BEHIND THEM STATES DIFFERENTLY THAN THE INTERPRETATION GIVEN IN MAIMONIDE’S LIST AND EITHER THE STATED LAW NEEDS TO BE CHANGED OR THE SCRIPTURAL REFERENCE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED.
ALL LAWS NOTED WITH *** WERE EITHER ONE TIME LAWS OR LAWS THAT CAN NO LONGER BE KEPT DUE TO THE PRESENT CONDITION AND GEOGRAPHICAL STATE OF THE NATION OF ISRAEL OR THE OCCUPATION OF OTHER NATIONS IN THE LAND/DESTRUCTION OF THE TEMPLE.  IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE, ALTHOUGH THESE LAWS CAN NO LONGER BE OBSERVED, THEY ARE STILL VALID LAWS AT THE TIME OF DOCUMENTATION.  TODAY’S SCATTERED JEWS HOWEVER, NEED NOT FOCUS ON KEEPING THEM IN THIS PRESENT DAY BUT INSTEAD, REMEMBER THEIR IMPORTANCE AT THE TIME THE NATION OF ISRAEL WERE IN THE LAND.

*Laws #301-306 ~ BOOK EIGHT: THE BOOK OF SERVICE (Laws of The Temple)


*Omitted (should not have been added to the Laws)
**Changed (a misinterpretation of the Law or based on the wrong scripture)
***No Longer Kept (No longer applicable today)



***Law #301 To build a sanctuary

Ex. 25:8 “And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them

The Law here is to build a sanctuary. This Law was a one-time Law that no longer needs to be fulfilled.

***/**Law #302 Not to build the altar with stones hewn by metal

Ex. 20:22 “And the Most High said unto Moses, Thus thou shalt say unto the children of Israel, Ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven…”

The Law says not to build the altar of stones hewn by metal, according to Maimonide’s.  However, the actual scripture that commands this is found in verse 25, so the reference needs to be changed. Vs. 25 says “…thou shalt not build it of hewn stone: for if thou lift up thy tool upon it, thou hast polluted it.” None the less, this Law was a one-time Law that no longer needs to be fulfilled.  Moreover, the Temple is no longer in existence

***/**Law #303 Not to climb steps to the altar

Ex. 20:23 “Ye shall not make with me god’s of silver, neither shall ye make unto you gods of gold.” 

Per Maimonide’s the Law here is not to climb the steps to the altar.  Clearly, the scripture doesn’t match.  Verse 26 is the correct verse reference “Neither shalt thou go up by steps unto mine altar…”  

***Law #304 To show reverence in the Temple

Lev. 19:30 “Ye shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence my sanctuary: I am the Most High.”

We’re commanded to show reverence to the Temple (The previous Command to keep the Sabbath is found in Ex. 23:12 Law #87 - Laws of the Sabbath).  This Law can no longer be kept, as the Temple is no longer in existence to reverence. 

***/**Law #305 To guard the Temple area

Num. 18:2 “And thy brethren also of the tribe of Levi, the tribe of thy father, bring thou with thee, that they may be joined unto thee, and minister unto thee: but thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the tabernacle of witness.”

The Law says to guard the Temple area.  Since the Temple is no longer in place to be guarded, this Law can no longer be kept.

*Law #306 Not to leave the Temple unguarded

Num. 18:5 “And ye shall keep the charge of the sanctuary, and the charge of the altar: that there be no wrath any more upon the children of Israel.

Not to leave the Temple unguarded is a repeat command of #305 and should not have been added to the Laws.  It needs to be omitted.   

Book of Romans Review Part 1 - Is Christianity Following Paul's True Words?


Book of Romans Review Part 2 - Is the Messiah the End of the Law?